Chapter 16: The Seat Where Illumi Once Sat

"Have you decided what you want to do with your hair?"

"Not yet."

"Alright, then I won't use my abilities on it either. Let's head over to the training ground nearby."

"Sounds good."

The two walked off, side by side.

Tsubone and Gotoh followed quietly behind them.

It wasn't long before they reached the training area.

Kaizen stood facing Silva, tension hanging in the air.

"Ten!" Silva commanded, his aura sharpening like a blade.

Kaizen's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't flinch. He had been expecting this.

Silva Zoldyck was in a league of his own. Among the best Nen users in the world. He was the type of man the Phantom Troupe would avoid antagonizing at all costs. Kaizen recalled stories about the Yorknew City incident, when Silva and Zeno joined forces to suppress Chrollo Lucilfer.

And then there was the Chimera Ant invasion—Silva had taken down a squad leader with a single punch from the sky, obliterating the creature's powerful body as if it were paper.

Even chimeric ants, known for their inhuman strength, couldn't match Silva's sheer force.

Silva, standing across from Kaizen, was quietly impressed.

"Less than a month to master Ten? You've come a long way already," Silva remarked. "Is this the talent nurtured by my great-grandfather, Maha?"

He nodded to himself. "Still… even without Maha's influence, you've got talent in your own right."

Silva's eyes lingered on Kaizen's hair, a signature white hue—the unmistakable mark of the Zoldyck bloodline. But he knew that strength wasn't exclusive to the white-haired heirs.

"Just look at Illumi," Silva thought. "Even without white hair, he's become one of the most dangerous assassins alive."

He considered other powerful members of the family—Zeno's brother, Kaizen's grandfather, and Kaizen's father. Each was formidable.

Then there was one more: a younger relative from a branch family who had left the manor. Silva believed her strength rivaled his own, but she had chosen a different path, discarding the Zoldyck name to live in the shadows.

Many from the branch families made similar choices—freedom at the cost of severing ties with the Zoldyck name. Yet, even if they distanced themselves, family ties were never truly broken. When a crisis arose, the Zoldycks would always come together. Blood called to blood.

"Kaizen, attack me."

"Got it."

Kaizen's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a focused expression.

"Ren!"

His aura surged as he concentrated, temporarily refining more energy.

"Ken!"

Kaizen wrapped his aura around his body like armor, enhancing his strength without sacrificing agility. His stance shifted fluidly, ready for action.

He knew using Zetsu to hide his aura wouldn't work here—Silva's instincts were too sharp. In every category—strength, speed, Nen mastery, combat experience—Silva had him beat.

This wasn't a fight. It was a lesson.

Kaizen lunged.

Boom!

Their arms collided, generating a deafening sonic boom. Kaizen was knocked back slightly, but he pivoted on his heel, darting toward Silva again with explosive speed.

"Snake Awakens!"

(T/N: The Snake Awakens: he whips his arms with incredible fluidity and speed, cleaving anything that comes in contact with them.)

Kaizen twisted his body mid-strike, using the Zoldyck assassination technique. His arms, sheathed in aura, coiled like serpents ready to strike, capable of shredding even steel.

Silva, however, reacted with effortless precision.

A single palm thrust blocked Kaizen's attack, redirecting it with overwhelming force. Kaizen stumbled back, struggling to regain his footing.

Kaizen vanished into the shadows, his body blending seamlessly into the environment. But Silva's sharp eyes tracked him effortlessly.

The instant Kaizen emerged to attack again, Silva was ready.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Kaizen launched himself at Silva over and over. Every strike, every feint—Silva blocked them all without retaliating. His goal was not to defeat Kaizen but to push him, to test his limits.

From the sidelines, Tsubone and Gotoh watched silently, their faces unreadable.

After several rounds, Silva raised his hand.

"That's enough for now, Kaizen. You're near your limit."

Kaizen gave a small nod, wiping the sweat from his brow. He still had a little fight left in him, but not much.

Silva gestured toward Tsubone, who approached with a bottle in hand.

"This will help."

Kaizen accepted the drink gratefully. It wasn't just any drink—it was a special blend, designed to restore energy and replenish nutrients. The ingredients alone were worth hundreds of thousands of Jenny. Only the Zoldyck family could afford such luxury.

Kaizen took a sip, feeling the effects almost immediately.

"Come, sit with me," Silva said, gesturing to a bench nearby.

Kaizen sat beside him, his breathing still uneven from the exertion.

Silva stared off into the distance, lost in thought.

"I sat in this exact spot with Illumi when he was about to take on his first assassination mission," Silva murmured.

Kaizen glanced at him, surprised by the sudden nostalgia.

"Now, it's my turn to guide you," Silva continued, his voice calm but firm. "I'm the head of the Zoldyck family now. And before you leave the manor, there are things you need to know—things only the head of the family can teach."

Kaizen leaned in slightly, listening closely.

"These lessons are the foundation of what it means to be a Zoldyck. And no matter where you go, or what you choose to do… these teachings will always stay with you."

Silva's gaze hardened.

"Because in the end, you are, and always will be, one of us."

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